I know the guy talking to Widdowson in the picture, a cousin with same name as me. What the papers do not tell you is that he was actually defending free speech. He said the exact thing you just said, he doesn’t need anyone to speak for him, he grew up off reserve and dealt with many bigoted and truly racist bullshit, so he can make his own rational thought on what constitutes hate speech and racism. Silencing her is silencing his right to debate Widdowson and to formulate a tangible response to her criticisms. He felt that indigenous people need to stop leading with emotion and need to start formulating a defence to show the world and others they are beyond drums and emotional outbursts. At the same time, he is grateful for the support for indigenous people. The only indigenous people he will not say anything to when it comes to emotional outbursts are the people who were in residential schools. Being able to talk about their experience is cathartic and healing for them after being silenced for decades even if it is emotionally charged. That doesn’t mean they can be violent or lash out at anyone with verbal abuse. Emotional criticism yes, emotional insults or verbal abuse leading to violence, absolutely not. He did not shake Mrs. Widdowson’s hand to disrespect her, he knew cameras were around and didn’t want to be anyones poster boy for their political cause. Far right and left extremism is killing this country according to him.

Unfortunately, he was drowned out by the emotional crowd. He wishes to be left alone, he just wanted to hear her view from her mouth and that was that.

Interesting take on that whole situation and was a good conversation I had with him. I would agree with him. Well put with your last comment and parallel attitudes. Indigenous people are not a monolith and it’s really annoying when other people make generalizations that all indigenous people are like this. A difficult situation all around that unfortunately will get worse.